Bears vs. Dragons

 2020 has been a hell of a year.  It seems like the only thing I type in this blog anymore has been the plugging of my latest podcast.  What can I say?  I don't have that much to blog about.  The formula for years has been venturing out of my small town life, having a day of adventure in the city, and then writing about it.  But there has been no days of adventure in the city in 2020.  COVID-19 has closed down most places, leaving me with no where to go.  And therefore, nothing to blog about.  

But, now I do.

The New Mutants has finally hit theatres.  This much-maligned X-Men film has officially become the most troubled of the Fox/X-Men films.  I had a friend who is a lifelong X-Men fan who was thrilled about 2018.  2018 was to be the first year with three X-Men films.  We were going to get New Mutants in the the spring, Deadpool 2 in the summer, and Dark Phoenix for the holiday season.  

And then the troubles began.

The New Mutants was being sold as a horror film set in the X-Men universe.  X-Men lends itself quite well to horror.  Young people not knowing how to handle their burgeoning powers could quite easily spin into David Cronenberg-esque body horror.  Throw in sadistic scientists experimenting on these kids to learn more about them, and you've got all the ingredients.  The first trailer for New Mutants really leaned into the horror aspects of the film.  People loved it, so New Mutants was pushed back from spring 2018 to the fall of 2018 so they could do re-shoots to ramp up the horror.  Then it got pushed back again to the spring of 2019.  Then the Disney buyout of Fox happened, and the film got lost in the shuffle.  The filmmakers tell us that they never got around to doing the planned reshoots, and with the way the world is, it looks like the film was just dumped into the recently-reopened theatres just to get it off the schedule.  

I was looking at The New Mutants in the theatres, and thought to myself, "I must see this film."  This is the last of the Fox/X-Men films.  With Disney having bought Fox, the movie rights to the X-Men have been returned to Marvel.  So the next time we see the X-Men, or Wolverine, or Deadpool, or any of our favourite mutants, they will be back home in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  When it comes to the Fox/X-Men films, I've been there since day one.  X-Men way back in the year 2000 still stands as the only midnight screening I've ever been to.  I have seen every X-Men film in the theatre for the past 20 years.  I had to see New Mutants in the theatre.  I had to see this to the end.

I was thinking about that all on the drive in.  I wonder how long a fandom lasts?  I've been watching X-Men movies for the past 20 years.  When I'm in my 80s and in a retirement home, will I still make an effort to get out and catch the new Star Wars film?  I wonder if there are 80 year olds out there right now, who were first in line for Dr. No back in 1962 and have seen every James Bond movie in the theatre since.  I can hear them now.  "I've got no time to die until I've seen No Time to Die!"  

Now if you follow me on social media, you're probably saying, "Now, Mark.  This isn't your adventure this summer.  You've already been back to the movies a few times."  And you are correct.  Here in Alberta, when movie theatres started reopening back in July, they needed movies to show.  And they did so by showing classic films for the low low price of $5.  When was the last time you were able to see a film for $5?  And they were showing beloved classics...films I've always loved, but have only ever seen on TV.  This was my only chance to see them on the big screen, the way they were meant to be seen.  So I went to the movies a few times in July.  I finally saw Back to the Future on the big screen.  I finally saw Raiders of the Lost Ark.  I saw Ghostbusters.  I saw The Empire Strikes Back again...having caught it on the big screen during the Special Edition release back in 1997.  

But this time, though, was different.  If you haven't been back to the movies yet, they are highly encouraging you to buy your tickets in advance on an app.  This really helps with minimizing physical contact and preventing transmission of disease.  So I had no problem shelling out $5 on the app to finally see Ghostbusters on the big screen.  But with The New Mutants being a newer film, and back up to full price of $15, I wanted to try something.

Back in February, I got my hands on something I've wanted forever.  I got a media pass to Landmark Cinemas.  Unlimited free movies for the entirety of 2020.  I could see myself spending every weekend at the Landmark Cinema in St. Albert, seeing absolutely every movie that I could. 

 

And then, a week later, they started closing the movie theatres because of COVID-19.  I tell you, it was the worst case of "be careful what you wish for" that I've ever personally experienced.  

So with my media pass in hand, I wanted to see if it would work for me, and if I could finally partake in a free movie.  And you can't use it on the app.

I'm pleased to report that, yes, my media pass still works.  There was some confusion at the box office.  "I've never seen one of these before, so I don't know how to ring it up," said the kindly clerk.  But a quick rundown from the manager smoothed everything over, and I was able to sprint into the theatre just in time for The New Mutants.

I will say this:  for those who have been worried about venturing back to the movies, the crowds have been pretty small.  The biggest crowd I saw was for Ghostbusters, which has about 12 people in the theatre.  And that was movie-going prime time:  Saturday night.  I saw The New Mutants on Friday afternoon.  It was just me a couple of kids skipping school.  

And I saw it at the Landmark Cinema in St. Albert.  I love it.  All the chairs are overstuffed leather recliners.  You can literally put your feet up.  My only complaint is the chairs are almost too comfortable.  Empire Strikes Back was a constant struggle to stay awake. With my recliner reclined, my Twizzlers in hand, I was ready to enjoy The New Mutants.  

 Danielle Moonstar awakens in a strange hospital. She’s told that her reservation was destroyed by an unknown force, and she was the only survivor. The doctor in charge of the facility — Dr. Reyes — tells Dani that they suspect she’s a mutant, and it was her mutant power that saved her. She is at the hospital to learn what her power is and to control it. She soon meets the other patients at the hospital: Rahne, who can turn into a wolf; Illyana, who can teleport and summon a magic sword; Sam, who can summon energy blasts to propel himself; and Bobby, who can shoot fire. Together, they start learning about themselves, their powers…and the sinister forces that Dr. Reyes works for. 

First thing you need to understand is The New Mutants is not a horror film.  I did not find it scary at all.  Let me make it clear.  I'm not big on horror films.  I have a low constitution for horror...I scare easily.  So when I say that a movie's not scary, it's really not scary.  If anything, it's a YA film with some jump scares.  And as YA films go, it's pretty by-the-numbers.

But there is some good in it.  I mean, it's small cast and enclosed setting give it a rather intimate feel for a superhero film.  And any movie that features bears fighting dragons at the end is OK in my books.  But with the state of the world these days, you can definitely wait until it's on Netflix.  

I give The New Mutants two out of four Nibs.  You can find the full review over on my official website.

I went back out to the parking lot, looked at my watch, and saw it was getting on to be suppertime.  I could either turn around and head back to Westlock.  Or...I could make it a proper adventure.  I could head a little further.  The nearest Popeyes Chicken is on the north side of Edmonton.  In just a short 15 minute drive, I could be sampling the fabled Popeyes Chicken Sandwich.

When Popeyes rolled out their chicken sandwich across the USA last year, it made headlines.  People found it so good that restaurants were frequently selling out.  And when they did sell out...well, there was many a viral video of fights breaking out at Popeyes.  Popeyes has begun rolling it out across Canada.  Edmonton was their test market a few months ago, as Edmonton did such a good job of keeping COVID-19 from spreading too far too fast.  Popeyes finally rolled it out to every Canadian location about a week ago.  So I figured I would give it a shot.  But as I was driving down to Popeyes, I had a thought.  "What if they're still closed?"

My parents have shared stories of their RV excursions this past summer.  Their biggest complaint is that dining can be a crap shoot.   You never know which restaurants are open, which are closed, which are open for delivery only.  You just never know.  

When I arrived at Popeyes, I discovered that their dining room was closed.  They were only open for take-out.  So, I ordered my chicken sandwich to go.  But the problem now was where to eat it.  This particular location didn't have any picnic tables out front, so I couldn't eat outside.  I didn't want to take it all the way home to Westlock and eat at home.  I tried with Taco Bell a few months ago.  By the time I got home to Westlock, it was cold and soggy.  So eating in my car it is.  But it was such a nice, sunny day.  Why eat in my car, when I can spread out my picnic on the hood of car and eat outside?  And that's what I did.

And boy, what a mistake.  In a parking lot at the start of the supper hour, I was beeped at a few times and had to move aside to let people in to park.  Then an old timer walked up to me and tried to strike up a conversation.

"So, you got yourself one of those chicken sandwiches, eh?"

"Hmhmarglebah."  (That's me with my mouth full, trying to respond to him.)

"Yeah, they're real good, aren't they?"

"Mhemarvlebah."

"Yup, I tried one a few weeks ago.  They're so big!  They really fill you up!"

"Mvarbleblah."

He finally left me alone and went inside to order his dinner.  And then a couple of friendly wasps decided to buzz over to me and try to take a bite.  So, here I am, in a Popeyes parking lot, doing a funny little dance to keep the wasps away while people beeped at me to get out of their parking space.

Maybe that's why I didn't find the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich that impressive.  Too many distractions kept me from enjoying it.  

I mean, it's nothing that special.  It's just a big piece of Popeyes chicken on a bun, with some mayo and pickles.  I went with the deluxe version, which also has lettuce and tomato.  The one thing that got me, though, was it is huge.  You know those third-pounder burgers that a lot of fast food places have?  I rarely order them because they're so thick.  The Popeyes Chicken Sandwich is the third-pounder of chicken sandwiches.  It's just massive.

I don't know.  I'll probably give it another chance when I can sit down in peace and enjoy one.  Maybe I'll try the spicy next time.   

When my sandwich was done, and all my garbage in my back seat because there were no trash cans handy, I jumped in my car and began the long trek home.  

It was good to get out and have some fun.  The world is still a changing place.  I was wearing a mask pretty much everywhere I went.  Only took it off for my movie snacks and my chicken sandwich.  Lots more plexiglass windows separating me from the clerks.   It's still taking some getting used to.  And the way the news goes, looks like the second wave is about to start up.  So this may be my last trip out for a while. 

Welcome Distractions

The Amber Alert woke me up at 5AM.  I don't wanna be one of those "How dare it wake me up!" jerks, but the truth is, I'm hard-wired to be up early for the job.  So if anything wakes me up after 4AM, there's a 99% chance I'm not getting back to sleep.  So after lying awake in bed for about half-an-hour, today was not going to be the 1%, so I got up. 

As I joked before, I wouldn't mind being up so early on Saturdays if Saturday morning cartoons were still a thing, so I went to the streaming services for something good to watch.  I recently learned the 1980s classic Fraggle Rock is now on Amazon Prime, so I've been revisiting some episodes from my youth. 

I was listening to a podcast not too long ago, where they talked to Big Bang Theory co-creator Bill Prady.  One of Prady's first jobs many, many years ago was with the Jim Henson Company, and he worked on Fraggle Rock.  He told the story, on how to help break stories on Fraggle Rock, Jim Henson had left these four questions hanging on the writers' room wall:

1)  Who's the hero?
2)  What do they want?
3)  What's in their way?
4)  What do they learn? 

It's fascinating watching episodes of Fraggle Rock now and breaking down episodes like that.  The first one I watched on Saturday morning went like this:

1)  Who's the hero?  Red.
2)  What does she want?  To put on a swimming show.
3)  What's in her way?  The swimming hole has dried up.
4)  What does she learn?  To ask for help. 

I skipped ahead to the final episode, because it was one of those episodes that haunted me when I was a kid.  Doc, the kindly old inventor whose workshop bordered on the Fraggle world, finally learns of the existence of Fraggles, and becomes fast friends with Gobo, our lead Fraggle.  But, Doc has to move away, just as he's getting to know his new friend.  Broken hearts all around. 

1)  Who's the hero?  Gobo.
2)  What does he want?  To be friends with Doc.
3)  What's in his way?  Doc is moving away.
4)  What does he learn?  Friends will find a way. 

I'm going to have fun re-visiting this show, now that summer rerun season is here and my binging will be increasing. 

But after a leisurely morning catching up with the Fraggles, I got my car and went into the city.  I had my tickets to go see Godzilla: King of the Monsters.  This was interesting.  This wasn't in the big fancy, UltraAVX theatres with assigned seating and all that.  This was more old-school, just show up early and claim a seat.  Why?  Well, I had enough scene points to get my ticket for free this way, that's why. 

I arrived at the city and wandered through the stores with a certain sense of emptiness.  There's really nothing in my life I want or need right now, so I just kind of browsed around.  Plus, money's been pretty tight lately, so I'm trying to firm up that line between "want" and "need" a little more. 

And there's a few things I wanted, sure.  In the Star Wars action figure department, a lot of the Solo merchandise has found its way to discount bins.  But I already have everything I wanted.  Sure, the exclusive four pack is now down to $20 (regular price $40), but do I really need it?  Not even sure I want it for my collection.  And then I decided to pop in at Toys R Us to see the exclusive Last Jedi four pack is also down to $20.  Again, do I need it?  Not even sure I want it.

From there, just some aimless wandering around West Edmonton Mall.  Popped in at the Apple Store, and finally got the attention of a clerk to ask some questions about the latest Apple TV.  I currently have an Apple TV.  It's what I use for watching my Netflix and other streaming services, but I've been thinking about upgrading.  The previous model that I have...well, you're kind of stuck with the dozen or so apps that meet the design specs of the Apple TV.   But the newest generations have a full-blown app store, so if there's an app on your iPhone or iPad, there's a much greater chance it's got an Apple TV app, too.  But still, that $200 price tag does make it more of a "want." 

And then, a quick browse through Sunrise Records.  I was thinking about picking up a certain Blu-Ray.  With me going to see Godzilla: King of the Monsters, I thought it'd be kind of appropriate to pick up the 1998 American Godzilla on Blu-Ray.  Godzilla (1998) holds a special distinction in my movie library:  it's the last one I have yet to upgrade to DVD or Blu-Ray.  It's my last VHS tape.  But, lo and behold, Sunrise Records didn't have it.  I find, when it comes to movie selection, HMV still had Sunrise Records beat. 

But with time killed, it was now time to see Godzilla: King of the Monsters. 

It's been five years since Godzilla's first appearance.  There's a global debate going with how to deal with these giant monsters...now dubbed Titans.  Monarch -- the shadowy organization that monitors them and is not so shadowy anymore -- wants them to be studied, to see if there's a way to co-exist with them.  The military wants to wipe them out.  Caught in the middle is the Russel family, who lost their son during Godzilla's first appearance.  The parents were both Monarch scientists.  The father, Mark, walked away, going back to nature and studying wolves.  The mother, Emma, doubled-down, and has invented a device called the Orca that would allow communication with, and maybe even control over, the Titans.  But, Mark is called back into service when Emma is kidnapped by eco-terrorists who want to use the Orca to unleash all the monsters.  First one they release:  Ghidora, who was Godzilla's only challenger to be the top of the food chain back in the day.  Now, with the other revived titans falling under Ghidora's sway, the humans realize the only way to survive might be to help Godzilla.  In the battle between Godzilla and Ghidora, who will be crowned king of the monsters? 

This movie is just fun.  For those who complained that the last Godzilla film didn't have enough monster battles, well, this one will give you your fill.  Not only is Ghidora here, but Mothra and Rodan.  There's enough callbacks and Easter eggs to the original Japanese franchise to make you smile.  Even in the music, in which each giant monster's theme is lovingly brought back. 

A few quibbles though.  I mean, I know it's because it makes the computer animation cheaper and easier, but why do all these monster battles have to take place at night, in the rain?  And yeah, as with most giant monster films, the human story does drag a bit. 

But I still had a really good time.  Three out of four nibs, full review at the website. 

And then, I was heading home, but first, I thought I'd stop for supper.  I decided to hit up Popeyes Chicken again.  Now that there is one on the north side that I drive by a lot of the time and is easier to get to.  As I've blogged before, they do two different kinds of combos:  there's the combo, which gets you one side dish and a medium drink, and the platter, which gets you two side dishes and a large drink.  I've been hitting the platters on every visit, the logic being, "I don't know when I'll be back, so I'd better sample everything!"  But I've been by enough times now I think I can start going with combos.  Went with the spicy chicken tenders, and for sides, the onion rings and coleslaw.  I think this was my first time trying the spicy chicken.  Didn't really notice it, or else the ranch dipping sauce I went with was good enough at cancelling it out. 

So, yeah.  As cool as Popeyes Chicken is, I think it's time to find a new fast food obsession in Edmonton.  I've only ever had Five Guys once, and I was in a bad mood when I did that, so I never really fully appreciated it.  (It was the day of the escape room debacle...don't ask.)  So maybe Five Guys needs to be the new one I need to quest to.  Failing that, I hear Jollibee is coming to Edmonton this fall. 

The Blinding Snow

The best thing about being up early for my job is you're quite often the first to hear about things when news breaks early in the morning.  So, a few weeks ago, when the news dinged that Avengers: Endgame tickets were now on sale, I snapped mine up immediately.  When for an Edmonton show on Saturday, April 27 at 11AM, because in my old age, I prefer to go see movies on Saturday afternoon. 

But, as always, there has to be a wrinkle in the plan.  As the day drew nearer, the weather report started listing one of those wonderful spring weather anomalies:  a snowstorm.  I kept an eye on the weather report as the week went on.  The TV weatherman said that the weather system would be moving south and east...my route to the city would just be getting the edge of it.  I woke up the morning of the 27th.  I looked out the window to see grey skies.  The road report said the roads were good.  The weather report said weather was good.  I was off to see Avengers!

I left Westlock heading south on Highway 44.  Grey skies, good highways.  I started running into the snow when I hit Villeneuve.  "No worries," I said.  "Just a little bit of wet snow.  Nothing I can't handle."  I went farther south, to where Highway 44 meets the Yellowhead Highway.  I hit the brunt of it.  The roads were terrible.  Whiteout conditions.  I could barely see in front of me. 

"Well, looks like I'm not seeing Avengers today," I thought.  "I'm not too far from the big Husky truck stop at the Acheson Industrial Park.  There, I can safely turn around.  Failing that, I can hunker down in their diner and have a bite to eat and wait for the storm to pass." 

Thanks to the whiteout conditions, I missed the Acheson overpass. 

I kept heading down the Yellowhead Highway in a panic.  I had no idea where I was going to turn around.  The speed limit is 110, but I was barely doing 60.  In the middle of this, I got a text from my mother.  "I saw on the news that that new superhero movie is out today.   You're not going to it in the middle of this snow, are you?"  And then, out of the blizzard, I saw a sign indicating an off-ramp:  Anthony Henday Drive.  Edmonton's ring road.  I saw that and thought, "Well, I made it this far.  May as well press on." 

I made it to West Edmonton Mall.  I parked the car.  It was around 9:30AM.  I went inside, and given that text I got from my mother, figured I should probably give her a call and let her know I made it OK. 

My movie wasn't until 11AM, so I spent the next hour just kind of wandering around West Edmonton Mall burning off nervous energy.  10:30AM rolled around, and even though it's a fancy-pants modern theatre with assigned seating, I got there nice and early and settled in to watch the Endgame. 

Are we past the moratorium on spoilers yet?  Because I'm going to get into some mild spoilers as I describe the plot and my favourite bits. 

The film opens shortly after the end of Infinity War, as our heroes regroup at the Avengers Compound.  With the newly-arrived Captain Marvel, our remaining heroes head off to kick Thanos's butt, reclaim the Infinity Stones, and undo the snap.  But when they find Thanos, there's just one problem:  Thanos used the stones a second time to destroy the stones themselves.  There's no going back.

We jump forward five years, and our heroes are wallowing in various degrees of self-pity.  But then, the newly-returned Ant-Man comes to our heroes, explains how he survived, and presents a plan to recover the stones.  The Avengers then head off across time and space on a desperate plan to resurrect the stones and bring everyone back. 

Two words:  "Avengers assemble."  I've been waiting the whole franchise to hear that line spoken, and when it is finally uttered, it is the ultimate payoff. 

I can't think of anything I hated about this movie.  It could have almost been called Callbacks: The Movie because it is so full of referecnes to all the other films that came before this.  When it's on home media, you're going to have to watch it frame-by-frame to get all the Easter eggs.  I like that the film mostly focuses on our original six Avengers and brings their stories to a close. 

The film is three hours long, but doesn't feel like it because it moves along so quickly. 

And I think we can finally retire the "massive CGI armies duking it out" climax that so many of these movies have, because Endgame has the biggest one that there ever will be. 

Another little thing I noticed.  I know the Marvel films have gotten a lot of flak for not having really distinct film scores, but I still listen to those scores a lot, and composer Alan Silvestri really tries hard with Endgame.  Don't get me wrong, his Avengers theme is, hands down, the best theme that Marvel produced, but in his score, I noticed Silvestri also slipped in a little of Captain Marvel's theme when she returns, and Ant-Man's theme when he returns, and even his Captain America theme at appropriate times. 

I'm probably just getting emotional in my old age, but man o man, this movie made me cry, it's so good.  I give it four out of four Nibs.  Full review on the website. 

Hey, I don't think I ever got around to blogging that I saw Shazam, too.  I saw Shazam, too, when it came out a few weeks ago.  I was reluctant to talk about it because, when I saw it, I was having a bit of a bad day, and I was in a bad mood, as such, I really couldn't get into the film.  Without getting into too much, April has shaped up to be a bad month for me.  Avengers made it better, though.

Anyway.  Shazam.  I've always had a bit of a fondness for the Big Red Cheese.  Young orphan Billy Batson is spirited away on a magic subway car one day, and comes face to face with the wizard Shazam.  By speaking the wizard's name, Batson is turned into the superhero Shazam.  But there are others who covet the power of Shazam, like the evil scientist Dr. Sivana, whom the wizard Shazam rejected as his champion years ago.  Now, the superhero Shazam and Sivana will come face to face to determine once and for all who will wield the power of Shazam!

The film is pretty good.  Zachary Levi makes a really great Shazam, showing of the "kid trapped in an adult superhero body" comedy aspect.  I really wish we got to know of Billy's foster family, though, to help flesh out this universe a little more.  And as I lamented, I've probably seen too many of these things now, as I saw a lot of the big twists and turns coming from a mile away.

I'd really like to see it again, because once I'm in a better headspace, I'll probably warm up to it more.  I give it three out of four Nibs.  And again, full review on the website. 

Of Pizza, Movies, and Marvels

So it appears that spring has finally sprung, and with it, my neurosis about traversing winter roads into the city to catch a movie are starting to subside.  And just in time, too, as Marvel's latest, Captain Marvel, has been thrust upon the world.  But of course, there had to be a last-minute panic.  Thursday, it was a quick trip into the city after work for a dentist appointment.  Everything was fine.  Friday...a huge dump of snow.  But, above zero temperatures for the next day.  Would everything be find on Saturday morning?  I woke up, looked outside at the sunshine, saw the above-zero temperatures on my weather apps, an "all clear" on the road reports, and I knew my day in the city was a go!

After a lovely, uneventful, springtime drive, I arrived and made my first stop at Wal-Mart.  For you see, I was in the market for some new socks and underwear.  Sorry, gang, but not all my big city purchases are always sexy new action figures and sexy new Blu-Rays.  I need the neccessities, too.  And double sorry, but you're not going to see any pictures of my sexy new underwear.  I may have lost some weight, but I've still got a long ways to go before you're seeing pics of me with rock hard abs.

For those who may not have seen my tweets or Facebook posts over the past year, it's good news.  About a year ago, my mother finally convinced me to get a full physical.  And the prognosis was good, with a big "but."  The doctor's exact words that I was in "the grey zone for diabetes," so I had to lose some weight and get my blood sugar under control.  Here we are, a year later, and the doctor says I'm down 20 pounds, and my blood sugar has gone from a dangerously high 6.3 to a more typical 5.7, officially getting me out of "the grey zone."  I haven't really noticed the weight loss, but friends say they have.  And I can pull my pants up over my gut and starting wearing them around my waist like a normal person again.

Which led me to the most delightful brain fart as I was buying underwear.  I looked at the tags and started thinking, "What's my pants size again?"   I tried discreetly looking at the tag on the jeans I was wearing, but they'd been through the wash too many times, and the writing was too faded.  So I went with a different option.  Since I always complain that I could never find pants in my size, I went to go look at the pants, to see if the ones that were sold out would jog my memory.  It seemed to work, and I made my best guess at an underwear size.

I arrived at West Edmonton Mall, just in time for an early lunch, and settled on a rice bowl from Edo Japan.  Again, all part of the attempting to eat healthier and get healthier.  I'm opting less and less for the burgers in the food court and trying to explore the healthier options...like rice bowls.  And besides, as my dietician once advised, "A burger every once in a while ain't gonna kill you...as long as it's not one of those half-pound monster burgers."

I checked my watch and saw that I had a full hour and a half before my movie.  I figured I may as well get up and explore the Mall.  Hadn't made it all the way down to the Mall in a while, so I was looking forward to just exploring.  "And this is a good time to squeeze in some cardio," said the healthy part of my brain.  On the one hand, I hate that I'm having thoughts like, "This is a good time to squeeze in some cardio," but on the other hand, I love that I'm having brain farts like, "What's my pants size again?"

I got up and started exploring the Mall.  I've traversed these halls ever since West Edmonton Mall was built back in the mid-1980s.  I love how dynamic the mall is, always changing, always something new.  But, it also gives me a sense of nostalgia.  I miss the opulence of West Edmonton  Mall in the 1980s, when they really leaned into the "World's Largest Mall" quite hard and everything about the Mall had to be the world's largest.

Which is why it's always a shock when I see that a big change is coming.  It may not seem like a big change to some, but I was shocked to see that the Brick is moving.

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Holy moly, they’re moving the Brick? The Brick is one of the stores that hasn’t moved since the mall opened back in the 80s. I am shook.

A post shared by Mark Cappis (@chaosinabox) on Mar 9, 2019 at 11:41am PST

The Brick is one of those anchor tenants that's been in the same place in West Edmonton Mall since it first opened in the mid-1980s.  I remember my family buying a new TV from the Brick in West Edmonton Mall in 1994.  I miss the Star Wars diorama they used to have.  They had this diorama set-up designed to look like an alien world, complete with a few model AT-ATs and Star Wars action figures set up.  And then, they had camcorders set up all around it so you could try them out by filming the diorama.  They did a massive renovation to their store in the late-90s/early-2000s and a had a huge grand reopening.  I remember because my favourite radio station at the time was on location from the newly renovated Brick for, like, an entire month.

And now it's moving.  All the way to the other side of the Mall where Sears used to be.

My nostalgic stroll continued as I went into Sunrise Records.  A part of me still thinks of that store as HMV.  I browsed the shelves of Blu-Rays, and as much was I wanted to buy a few new films, I knew I had to show some restraint.  I see Chicken Run is finally on Blu-Ray, and I still think it's one of the funniest animated movies ever made, but I put back, thinking that my old DVD is still good enough.  I see the Steve Martin classics The Jerk and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels have just gotten new super-special editions, but they were a little pricey, and so I left them behind.  But I did break down for one.

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Today’s Blu-Ray acquisition. Yeah, I fell for the novelty VHS clamshell packaging.

A post shared by Mark Cappis (@chaosinabox) on Mar 9, 2019 at 5:35pm PST

Backdraft, Ron Howard's 1991 loving ode to firefighters.  Won great acclaim at the time for its practical effects...cleverly hidden propane torches to put the actors right in the middle of the fire.  This one seems to have been filling discount bins for far too long, and I've been tempted to pick it up, but seeing it in novelty VHS clamshell packaging for just $10, I couldn't resist.  When I bought it, the clerk and I complained a little bit that the retro VHS packaging was being billed as "1980s packaging," and Backdraft came out in 1990s, but whatever.  It'll still look good on the shelf.

I glanced at my watch, and saw it was a half-hour before my movie.  Even in this modern age of assigned seating at the theatre, I still like to show up about a half-hour early to claim my seat, get settled, and open up any noisy candy packaging.  So I made my way over to the Scotiabank Theatre and settled in to watch Captain Marvel.

On the distant planet Hala, home of the Kree Empire, a Kree warrior named Vers is troubled. She’s still learning to harness her massive power under the tutelage of Yon-Rogg. Their squad of Kree commandos are sent to take down a cel of evil shapeshifting aliens known as Skrulls, but Vers is capture. She eventually escapes, and winds up on the planet designated C-35 by the Kree, but the natives call it Earth. Something about Earth begins triggering memories in Vers, and she begins to learn that she was once a woman named Carol Danvers. But, Skrulls led by Talos have made it to Earth as well. With her new partner, SHIELD agent Nick Fury, can Carol Danvers uncover the secrets of her past and save Earth from a Skrull invasion?

I found Captain Marvel to be a very satisfying superhero film.  Yeah, I've probably watched too many of these, as I saw some of the big plot twists coming from a mile away.  And the soundtrack, full of 1990s rock (as it's set in 1995) is cute, but does get a little too...obvious as the film goes on.  I was kinda worried about Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, because she struck me as kinda flat in the trailers, but she brings it in the film, and does a great job.

I give it three out of four nibs.  Full review over on the website.

With the movie done, I still had very special plans for dinner.  I had resolved that, this night, I was going to check something off my bucket list.  I love pizza.  And for many, many years, anchovies tops the list as the most hated pizza topping.  But here's the thing.  Because it is so hated, it's very hard to find an anchovy pizza.  They hardly make them anymore.  So it soon got added to my bucket list to find and try an anchovy pizza.  After some searching online, I found I could get one at Famoso.

Famoso is one of those newer restaurant chains that's been popping up in power centres all across the land.  They specialize in traditional Italian-style pizza.  I've eaten there a few times, and they do make pretty good pizza, and it was one of the few places where I could get my anchovy pizza.

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Alright, we’re heard the jokes on sitcoms for years, let’s finally do this...an anchovy pizza! I picked one off to try the full flavour. Salty little thing. But the rest of the pizza kinda overpowered it. Next time, I’ll have to order the anchovies fresh instead of cooked to see if that makes a difference.

A post shared by Mark Cappis (@chaosinabox) on Mar 9, 2019 at 3:48pm PST

I hit up Famoso in Spruce Grove, and placed my order.  They changed it up a little bit since the last time I was there.  Originally, they had you fill out your order yourself and take it to the front counter.  But now, they have the waitress do that for you, like a regular restaurant.  Having studied the menu online, I knew exactly what I wanted:  a Magherita pizza with anchovies.  The waitress asked if I wanted the anchovies pre-cooked or fresh.  I went with pre-cooked.  She said OK, and then I sat back and waited.

She brought me my pizza, and I dug in.  I tasted the cheese, the tomato sauce and...that's it.  Couldn't taste anything else.  I figured the cheese and tomato sauce must be overpowering the anchovies.  So I picked one off an ate it on its own.  I found it to be a greasy, salty little thing.  That's probably why it's not liked...and that's probably why the cheese and the tomato sauce overpowered it.  I finished off my pizza, and resolved that I'd have to try this again, to see if having the anchovies fresh makes any difference. 

The waitress brought my bill and I settled up, and that's when I realized that she got my order wrong.  My own fault for not eating there enough and not being familiar with the Italian words on the menu.  I ordered a Magherita pizza with anchovies, and I got just a plain pizza with anchovies.  I decided to let it go and just move on, but since I'm blogging about it a week later, obviously I haven't done that.  Besides, the whole mission was to try an anchovy pizza, and that's what was done.  And since I'm going to try this again with fresh anchovies, I'll be able to try again. 

But with a full belly, I returned home, on another uneventful drive on warming, ice-free roads.  I got home, and after noting my car's mileage, realized I'm getting due for an oil change.  At my last oil change, they noted I should probably get a tire rotation in the spring.  But getting a tire rotation means going to a proper mechanic, and not one of those "Quickie Lube" oil change places.  I always worry about taking my car into the mechanic.  It might be for something as simple as an oil change, but once they get it up on the hoist, they're like, "Oh, yeah, you need a new fliberty gibbet.  That'll be $8000, please." 

My car.  I love ya, but I'll always have reason to worry. 

(Oh, and the underwear fits.)

It's About Time

While I had a lot of fun heading into the city last week to see Bumblebee, it wasn't quite what I wanted to do.  I still wanted to make the trek all the way into West Edmonton Mall and spend some gift cards.  I also had a very specific goal in mind as to what to spend those gift cards on:  calendars. 

Man, calendars seem to be one of those things that are dying out now that everyone has one in their pockets at all times thanks to smartphones.  But at work, I still like to have one on the walls of my office.  It helps keep me organized to lift my head up from my computer and see all the looming deadlines.  Last year, I even got one of those laminated ones that you can write stuff on using whiteboard markers.  I swear, it's how I've stayed organized ever since college.  But that's just in my main office.  I do so much work at work that I'm constantly flitting about from room to room, and I need new calendars in offices numbers two and three.  And it's just that time of year when the calendar pop-up stores are starting to clear out their inventory, and everything's half-off.  So I snatched up Castles of Germany for my main office, Star Wars for office #2, and a second, writable calendar for office #3. 

Then it was time to spend some gift cards.  I went on over to the Scotiabank Theatre to see Aquaman. 

Man o man, as I was riding the escalator up the theatre, I had a frightening thought.  The Scotiabank Theatre in West Edmonton Mall is going to be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.  It opened with much hype in the summer of 1999, replacing Famous Players' old West Mall 5 theatre.  It was the ultimate movie theatre in Edmonton, with its fire-breathing dragon, stadium seating, and curved screens.  And THX!  To date, the only times I've ever seen that famous THX trailer on the big screen was in those early days at the Scotiabank Theatre. 

Of course, being the summer of 1999, the first film showed at that theatre was The Phantom Menace.  I remember seeing the line for tickets on the news.  The line wound down the staircase and around the indoor lake.  The first movie I saw in the Scotiabank Theatre, though, wasn't The Phantom Menace...it was Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.  Although, you may remember, it had a fantastic Episode I-spoofing trailer. 

But, the old Scotiabank Theatre was showing it's age.  As I settled into my chair, it sure felt kind of small when compared to the gigantic, super-comfy recliner that I enjoyed at the Landmark Theatre for Bumblebee.  It's still a very good theatre, though. 

Anyway, how was Aquaman? 

Aquaman is bug-nuts, bonkers insane, man.  They lean heavily into the fantasy elements of Aquaman, creating a very lush looking film.  We are treated to some spectacular computer generated underwater empires as we see Atlantis and all the kingdoms under the sea.  And the final battle...as mush as I tire of the massive CGI armies fighting each other, this one has armoured sea life.  Sharks vs giant seahorses.  And the kraken shows up.  It's beautiful.

It's a pretty standard Aquaman plot.  Aquaman's half-brother Orm, the ruler of Atlantis, is seeking to unite the seven kindgoms under the sea and raise an army to go to war with the surface world.  So, to stop the war, Aquaman has to challenge Orm for the throne.  Which sends him on a quest for a magic trident with Orm's forces hot on his tail.

And one thing I keep forgetting to mention is they film actually has a really meaty subplot delving into the origins of Aquaman villain Black Manta.  It almost feels like an entire second movie, and I found the whole thing quite compelling.

But yeah, I really enjoyed Aquaman.  Between this and Wonder Woman, it looks like the DC Cinematic Universe is starting to find its footing.  I give it 3.5 Nibs out of 4.  Full review on the website.  

Braving Winter Roads

Well, the Christmas holiday season is practically over, but there was still one thing I wanted to do that I hadn't had a chance to yet.  I wanted to go see a movie.  I wanted to go see Bumblebee.  I had set aside this weekend to do it!  I was ready to go!

But then it snowed all day Friday. 

Dang it.  Do I brave the snow-covered streets to venture into the city to catch a movie, or do I wait another weekend?  I feared to wait another weekend, because Bumblebee isn't doing so hot at the box office.  What if it's out of theatres by next weekend?  What is this poor old Transformers fan to do? 

I woke up on Saturday morning and checked the road reports.  The highway was currently listed in "fair" condition.  OK, that's pretty much typical winter driving conditions.  That's drivable.  But the last thing I wanted to do was navigate city streets in this weather.  So it seemed like it was finally time to check out the new Landmark Cinema in St. Albert. 

Landmark Cinemas is currently the second-largest movie theatre chain in Canada.  They're working hard to narrow the gap between themselves and the largest chain, Cineplex.  Their St. Albert theatre is coming up on its first anniversary, and when it opened up last spring, it was with much fanfare.  While Landmark already has a few theatres in Edmonton, they were all acquisitions.  But their St. Albert theatre is the first one in the greater Edmonton region that they built from the ground up...all according to their standards.  And it's ridiculously easy to get to, on the very northern edge of St. Albert.  When I drive south on Highway 2 to hit the city for the day, it is literally the first building I see when I hit St. Albert city limits.  I wouldn't have to navigate any city streets at all, just kiss the edge of town. 

Plus, I won some free Landmark movie passes at the office Christmas party.  I could see it for free! 

This plan was falling into place.  I can do this.  I have the touch.  I have the power. 

I set out late on Saturday morning.  I figured I'd give the snowplows more time to work their magic.  As expected, it was typical winter driving conditions.  There was enough road salt out there that it made the roads pretty wet.  Good thing I filled my tank with washer fluid before hitting the road.  And sure enough, I hit the first set of lights as soon as I hit St. Albert, and I was there.  I might finally start going to this theatre a whole lot more because of how ridiculously easy it is to get to.

I went into the lobby, and I was taken with how large and spacious it is.  Tables with USB charging ports, so you can check your phone while you wait.  The first strike against it, though.  The box office was closed, so they were making you buy your movie tickets at the concession.  Man, I hate this modern trend of reducing the number of cashiers.  Even worse when they start amalgamating positions.  Most grocery stores these days are doing away with their express lanes and making you go to the customer service desk instead.  Hell, the Giant Tiger here in Westlock only opens up a cashier when the line at the customer service desk is ten people deep.  You're not even replacing cashiers with self-checkouts anymore!  You're just hiring less cashiers and making them do the work of three.  Hate it hate it hate it.

Luckily, the concession/box office line was moving pretty quickly, so I got my ticket and my free popcorn and drink.  The drinks were pretty cool.  They have these Coke Freestyle machines.  You put your cup in, and hit the buttons on the touch screen to decide what you want.  You can even add your favourite flavoured syrups, so I went with a good ol' cherry Coke. 

Went to my theatre and found my seat.  Oh my God.  The seats are massive.  They're at least twice the size of typical a movie theatre seat.  And they're recliners.  The seats are full leather powered recliners.  With cup-holders.  It's pretty much Cineplex's VIP theatre experience, only at regular prices.  Oh, and no folding tray tables to put your snacks on.  But still!  The most comfy movie theatre seats I've had in a long time. 

Second strike, though.  With this big, comfy chairs, there's no place for me to put my coat.  In the old days, I'd just put my coat on the chair next to me.  But with reserved seating becoming more and more the norm, I don't want to do that, for fear of stealing someone's seat.  So lately, I've been folding up my coat and placing it under my chair.  But with big comfy leather recliners, there's no room under your chair.  So I wound up balling up my coat and leaving it on my lap.  This is Alberta, dude, where everyone at the movies in winter is coming in with a parka.  One feature I'd love to see them bring back to movie theatres is good ol' fashioned coat check, so you can hang up your coat.  Or at the very least, lockers in the lobby, so you can stuff your coat inside. 

Anyways, once the previews were done, I figured it'd be safe to literally put my feet up and not block the aisle.  And then I enjoyed Bumblebee. 

I really like Bumblebee.  Dear God, the opening 10 minutes, where we watch the fall of Cybertron and the Autobots fleeing to the stars is probably the closest we're ever going to get a CGI movie version of the classic cartoon.  I was crying tears of joy.  And you can tell that the director of this one, Travis Knight, must have grown up with Transformers, because Transformers Easter eggs were flying fast and furious. 

But it was more than just gratuitous fan service.  It's taken this long, but they finally realized that one of the best ways to make a good Transformers movie is:

a)  Actually develop the Transformers into characters we love and care about
b)  Make the human characters not annoying

Our heroine is Charlie Watson, played by Haillee Steinfeld.  She's still mourning the loss of her father, and resents the rest of her family for moving on so quickly.  On her 18th birthday, she gets her first car, a yellow Volkswagon Beetle, who quickly reveals himself to be Bumblebee.  Bumblebee's war wounds have damaged his memory, and together, these two damaged souls may just be able to heal each other.

Bumblebee is a much-needed breath of fresh air for this franchise, as some long-missing heart and soul is finally returned to the proceedings.  About my only quibble is the plot is highly reminiscent of The Iron Giant and E.T. so you kinda knew what was coming.  But I loved it.  3.5 out of 4 nibs.  Full review on the website. 

And did I mention I also saw Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse?  I don't think I ever got around to blogging about it.  But yeah, I saw it three weeks ago, right before Christmas vacation kicked into the high gear.  I also really loved Spider-Man.  I mean, I love animated films.  I love superhero films.  I think superheros and animation are a genre and a medium made for each other, so of course I was going to be there for a Spider-Man animated film. 

Much has been made by now of Spider-Man's animation style, and it is truly amazing.  It really does look like a comic book brought to life.  And the blending of animation styles, too.  Spider-Ham looks and moves like he stepped out of an old Looney Tunes short.  Peni Parker, our anime Spider-Girl, looks and moves like she stepped out of an Astro Boy rerun.  And the climax...wow.  The animation for the big climax almost gets psychedelic.  It just looks great. 

But it's more than just amazing animation.  There's some great character work here, as Mile Morales comes to grips with his spider bite and taking on the mantle of Spider-Man.  Luckily, there's a half-a-dozen other Spiders from across the multiverse to mentor him.  While Spider-Ham gets all the laughs in the trailers, the scene-stealer is Spider-Man Noir, a grim and gritty Spider-Man from a world of pulp fiction heroes, hilariously voiced by Nicholas Cage. 

The focus, though, remains firmly on Miles Morales and his hero's journey, as he tries to connect to his father.  It is a great film, and a wonderful addition to the Spider-Man film canon.  3 out of 4 nibs, full review on the website. 

And that should pretty much bring you up to speed on my all latest trips to the city.  There's probably one more in the days ahead, though, as I got a Cineplex gift card for Christmas and still wanna see Aquaman.  Hopefully the roads will be better next weekend for a much more conventional trip to the city. 

The Holiday Season Begins

I need a new computer.

It's something that's been top of mind for a while now.  I'm currently writing this on a 10-year old PC that's still running on Windows Vista.  That was to be my big purchase for 2018, but then life got in the way.  I think for my next computer, I'll go back to a laptop.  I miss the portability of a laptop.  This blog took a real nosedive in frequency when I moved into a two-bedroom apartment and set up my computer in bedroom #2.  I used to get so much blogging done just plucking away at the keyboard while watching TV.  With a laptop, I can set it up on the coffee table and go back to just plucking away.

Which is why I've got a real backlog of blogging to do, which I've been putting off this whole week.  I had some unused vacation time that the company wanted me to use up by the end of the year, and one of the best uses I've discovered is to take the last week in November off, and just focus on getting all your Christmas prep done that week.  This is the third year I've done it now, and trust me, it makes for a much more relaxing December.

The stores!  Oh, the stores were so good.  There's hardly any crowds right now.  The clerks and customers are still full of Christmas cheer.  It's hasn't withered away to holiday stress yet.  Getting the Christmas shopping done was almost a peaceful experience.  Of course, the peace is now starting to give way to the anxiety that I've gotten my friends and families something wrong for Christmas. 

Of course, though, being out and about so much means my attempts at eating healthier took a hit, but I still tried my best.  While perusing the food court in West Edmonton Mall, I finally gave Freshii a try.  Freshii always seemed to be the definitive health food fast food place, as their menu items on display are always kale this and keto that.  Then I saw that they had rice bowls.  I like rice bowls.  I don't know why I don't make them at home.  Just take a bowl of rice and put all your favourite tasty things on top.  So I sampled Freshii's Teriyaki Twist and it was quite good. 

I also tried the Chopped Leaf.  Another newer fast casual chain popping up in your favourite power centres.  This one specializes in salads.  I'd only tried it once before, about a year ago, and again, they make a good salad.  One of their specials right now is a salad called the El Rancho, and again, quite good. 

And with the holiday season upon us, that means the holiday blockbusters are starting to filter into theatres.  Always being a lover of Disney animation, I decided to take in Ralph Breaks the Internet.  Now, when Wreck-It Ralph came out a few years ago, I was reluctant to see it.  I'd never been much of a gamer, and the commercials were really making it out to be "Video Game Nostalgia: The Movie."  Positive reviews brought me around, though, so I went to check it out, and greatly enjoyed it.  Now, I see many have had similar reservations about the sequel, and I will admit, a lot of the commercials do give it a "Internet Company Product Placement: The Movie" vibe, like The Emoji Movie.  But again, I'm pleasantly surprised at how emotional and heart-warming it is.

It's been a few years since the first film.  Wreck-It Ralph is living his best life.  He loves the day-to-day routine of the arcade.  But not so with his friend Vanellope.  In true Disney princess fashion, she's starting to yearn for something more.  Tragedy strikes when Vanellope's game Sugar Rush is damaged, and it looks like the game is going to be scrapped.  But, Ralph and Vanellope overhear a couple of arcade patrons say that they can get a replacement part on the Internet from some place called "eBay."  And wouldn't you know it, the arcade just got WiFi!  So, Ralph and Vanellope head to the Internet to save Vanellope's game!  On their quest, though, Vanellope finds an online racing game called Slaughter Race, and it's everything she's ever dreamed of.  Will Ralph be secure enough to let go of her friend so she can find what she's looking for? 

I loved it.  It's equally as heartwarming as the first.  And not to fear, all the Internet company product placement doesn't dominate the script.  As always, the voice work is great.  Gal Gadot is Shank, the lead racer in Slaughter Race and Vanellope's new BFF, and she does a great job.  And stay for the end credits, because it has what I think are the funniest post-credit stingers in a long time. 

My only complaint is it does seem to drag a bit.  It feels like it has one ending too many.  You reach a point in the film where it just keeps going and you start thinking, "OK.  I get the message." 

Ralph Breaks the Internet is easily as good as the first film.  Three out of four nibs.  Full review on the website.  

And man, I've got a lot of movies to catch up on.  This past week, I grabbed Miracle on 34th Street and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation on Blu-Ray.  I used to question the logic of buying Christmas movies on home media.  I mean, the one time of year you want to watch it is the one time of year it's on TV non-stop.  But, as I've finally learned in my old age, even when you've got 100+ channels, it won't be on during that one opportunity you have to watch it.  And the streaming services don't have your back.  Hell, last year, Netflix issued a public apology for not having Home Alone.  So home media becomes your best option. 

This has been a bad month for buying Blu-Rays...especially impulse buying on Amazon.  It all started about a month ago.  With Halloween on the horizon, I thought, "Hey, do you know what was on TV constantly when I was a kid, but I haven't seen in ages?  Disney's animated Sleepy Hollow."  So, with a couple of clicks, I ordered The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.  And alongside that, I also bought Mickey's Christmas Carol.  That's another reason for buying Christmas movies on home media...especially the animated TV specials.  They've been edited so much over the years to squeeze in more commercials, that buying them on home media is the only way to watch them uncut. 

And then I got the alert that a couple of Doctor Who Blu-Rays I'd had my eye on were marked down to $10 each, so clickity-click, and another Amazon package.  Then the Criterion edition of The Princess Bride went on sale, and I saw the new Shout! Select release of City Slickers and thought, "I want this."  BOOM!  Another package from Amazon.  And that's just what I bought online.  In addition to snatching up those Christmas movies, I also bought up Incredibles 2 and The Pixar Short Film Colleciton Vol. 3 while out Christmas shopping. 

Buying so many movies, it's no wonder I can't afford a new computer.  Oh, well.  We'll see what 2019 brings.  I'll have to do what I did when I finally upgraded my smartphone two years ago:  just suck it up and start using this thing called "debt." 

Just Another Trip to the City

Well, holiday blockbuster season is about to ramp up, and that means trips to the city are probably about to become more frequent, as I head in to see the latest crop of superhero films.  As was the case this past Saturday, when I popped into town to see Venom.

I'd been hearing tales of a Venom movie ever since the Internet was new, and of course, the question always was, "How can you do a Venom movie without Spider-Man?"  The short version, for those not comic-savvy, Venom is pretty much the evil twin of Spider-Man.  Then, when he started becoming popular, he switched to the side of the angels and became a hero...the darker, more violent version of Spider-Man.  So, for years, the fans have said that the best way to do a Venom movie is, you'd have to introduce him in a Spider-Man film as the villain.  But, that's not what they did. 

Eddie Brock is on top of the world.  He's a much beloved cable news investigative reporter, engaged to be married.  But then, he goes to far in an interview with billionaire industrialist Carlton Drake, and Brock loses it all.  A few months later, when Brock is at rock bottom, he's contacted by one of Drake's top scientists.  Turns out one of Drake's space probes came back with alien life...symbiots, that require a human host to live.  And Drake's raking up quite the body count looking for suitable hosts.  Brock goes into Drake's lab to investigate, and winds up bonding with one of the symbiots.  Calling itself Venom, Brock and Venom soon form an uneasy alliance to take down Drake and stop a forthcoming invasion of symbiots. 

I will admit it, the film was a lot more lighthearted than I expected.  Brock and Venom get a kind of buddy cop thing going, and their banter is hilarious.  Venom is quick to violence, and despite being a bad-ass reporter, Brock is deeply apologetic when trying to reign in Venom.  Some great physical comedy, too. 

That being said, it really offers nothing new in the way of superhero films.  The plot is pretty cookie-cutter.  Venom's sudden love of humanity and decision to help Brock save the world seems pretty abrupt.  And when your hero and villain can both turn into CGI blobs, the climactic battle turns into one big blobby mess. 

But I came out of the theatre smiling.  I liked it.  3 out of 4 Nibs.  Full review on the website.

Other than that, not much more to write home about.  I needed underwear, so I bought some.  Found pants in my size on sale, so I bought some.  I need shirts, too, but I couldn't find any.  3XL used to be such a common size when I ballooned to it a few years ago, but now, it seems to be sold out wherever I go.  Oh, well.  Another reason to lose weight, just so I can start buying clothes again.

When I got home and wrote up my Venom review for the website, I tossed Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom into the Blu-Ray player.  I caught a bit of it on TV as part of a Thanksgiving marathon a week ago, and I'd been wanting to revisit the whole thing.  I really wish Steven Spielberg and George Lucas would quit apologizing for it.  For years, they've apologized for how dark it is and how different it is from the other Indiana Jones films, but you know what?  I love it.  It came out when I was seven years old, and it was my first entrance into the world of Indiana Jones.

Man, I remember watching the "making of" TV special back in the day.  To film the famous mine car chase, they actually modified a regular 35mm still camera to hold movie film so they could fit it to a car and have it chase the models through their set.  When they had the Indiana Jones exhibit at Telus World of Science a few years ago, they actually had one of the mine car models used for filming that chase.  Very cool. 

In fact, the very first comic book I owned was the comic book adaptation of Temple of Doom.  I had issues 2 and 3 of Marvel's three-issue mini-series.  Not until I finally rented it on VHS a couple years later did I get to see how the movie begins. 

And that led me down a rabbit hole of comic book adaptations of popular films.  Around the same time I had the Temple of Doom comic book adaptation, I also had the one for The Muppets Take Manhattan.  Somewhere, back home in storage, I still have the comic book adaptations of The Transformers: The Movie and the first two live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles films. 

I wonder if comic book adaptations are still a thing.  I think the Star Wars films still get them.  And with all the superhero films these days, a comic book adaptation would be the easiest, most obvious piece of tie-in merch.  I'd got to my old comic book store in West Edmonton Mall - Comic King - but I think it's not there anymore.  The West Edmonton Mall casino is in the same part of the mall, and the casino recently claimed all that space to expand.  I still remember that store's original name -- Graphic Fantasy. 

And, that was that.  My latest day in the city.  Just a quick trip in and out.  Really, not much to write home about.